What mistakes were made in the Book of Genesis?

Answer 1

A:It is natural that the Book of Genesis, written over a long period in the first millennium BCE, would contain historical errors when writing about events that supposedly occurred over a thousand years earlier. It is also natural that ancient authors who knew nothing about modern science would write creation accounts that can never be harmonised with scientific reality. But these are only 'mistakes' if we think of The Bible as always intended to be an accurate and literal history of the world.

Leon R. Kass (The Beginning of Wisdom: Reading Genesis) says we should read the story of the Garden of Eden as a mythical yet realistic portrait of permanent truths about our humanity, rather than as a historical yet idealised portrait of a blissful existence once enjoyed but now lost. This story was intended to convey moral and religious lessons, not historical information, and when read from that point of view it does not contain errors.

So it is with the stories of the Patriarchs. They make beautiful epic narratives, but the authors knew they were not literally true. Proof of this is to be seen in the account of the great ages to which they lived:

1. Abraham lived to 175 (5 X 5 X 7)
2. Isaac lived to 180 (6 X 6 X 5)
3. Jacob lived to 147 (7 X 7 X 3)

Here we can see:

• Each lifespan involves a perfect square (5, 6, then 7 in a numeric series),
• the third factor also forms a series (7, 5, 3)
• in each case the sum of the factors is 17.

Joseph, favoured son of Jacob, is sometimes referred to as the fourth patriarch, and his 110 years are the sum of these consecutive square numbers (110 = 52 +62 + 72).

It is hardly likely that these precise ages may be explained as simple coincidence. And if they were not coincidences, then they were nominated by the early story-tellers because of a spiritual fascination with numbers. That the lifespans of the Patriarchs were created in this way means that the sources for these stories knew that, at least in part, they were not really true. Describing these narratives as historical mistakes implies that we believe that the original sources were trying to write real history.

The Patriarchs were a creation of Hebrew tradition, and Joseph never went to Egypt to become the most senior official under the pharaoh, as portrayed in the Book of Genesis. Historically, that account is in error, but for the Hebrews it was not a mistake. They needed to understand where they came from, and they needed a glorious past. The Book of Genesis filled those needs.

Another Answer:

There are translational errors and this is so with any writing that goes from one language to another - even within the original language itself. But this does not mean the entire work/book is in error.

Try as we humans may, the Bible stands up to all criticism and review, eventually proving the sceptics wrong on each and every aspect of questioning.

Answer 2

Some interpret the disobedience of Adam and Eve in eating the forbidden fruit as a mistake in the Book of Genesis. Additionally, the jealousy and violence between Cain and Abel led to murder. These actions were seen as going against God's will and brought about consequences.